


can i be your type of metal?

by galaxy_witch



Series: Frat Boys and Fireball [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, BoKuroo Week, BoKuroo Week 2018, Dirty Jokes, Fluff, Getting Together, Kissing, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Dork, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 19:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14220474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxy_witch/pseuds/galaxy_witch
Summary: “What is it?” Bokuto asked as he leaned closer to inspect the tube.“It’s called Gallium, the 31st element on the periodic table. It’s usually used as a silicon substitute for electronics and acts as an important component of many semiconductors–”“Tetsu, you know you sound really cute when you talk about science, but can you use human words?”





	can i be your type of metal?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bokuroo Week 2018, day 5 - College/University
> 
> This is a continuation of a drabble I wrote a while ago, but this could definitely be read on its own! Read part one only if you'd like! Hope you enjoy :)

“I kissed Bokuto last night,” Kuroo groaned into the phone. The other end was silent for a minute before Kuroo received any reaction.

“And?” is all Kenma replied. He didn’t seem surprised.

“What do you mean _and_?!” Kuroo lazily pulled the covers away from his body and sat up in his bed. He needed Kenma to freak out in order to feel like his own worries were justified. “We were drunk and we kissed and what if things between us are weird now?”

Kuroo had confided in Kenma with his crush on Bokuto a long time ago. Even before Kuroo had told Kenma, he was pretty sure that Kenma already knew by the way he shrugged his shoulders and said _makes sense_ in response to Kuroo’s admission. Kenma had always been incredibly perceptive.

“You won’t know until you talk to him. Please don’t just lock yourself in your room all day.” Kenma knew Kuroo all too well. Kuroo had only been awake for about an hour, but it was already one o’clock in the afternoon. His head was throbbing due to his hangover, and all he wanted to do was to drink some strong coffee and watch movies in his bed for the rest of the day.

The thought of confronting Bokuto was horrifying to him, but Kuroo knew he had to face his friend sooner or later.

“We usually do work together in the library on Sunday nights. I could just tell him that I’m too hungover and skip out.”

“Don’t be an asshole,” Kenma scoffed. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“What if he hates me now?” At this point Kuroo had gotten out of bed and begun pacing around the small area between his and Oikawa’s bed. Kuroo was thankful that Oikawa spend the night with Iwaizumi so he didn’t have to explain what had happened the night before. If anything, Oikawa would just make fun of him.

“You’re so dramatic. I don’t think Bokuto could possibly hate you, or anyone.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kuroo sighed. “Anyway, I need to shower and get some coffee. I’ll let you know how everything goes, yeah?”

Kenma hummed in response. “Kuro, I know how guarded you can be. Don’t keep running away from your feelings for Bokuto.”

“Geez Kenma, when did you get so wise? Since you started dating chibi-chan?” Kuroo smiled, and he could feel Kenma rolling his eyes on the other side of his phone.

“I’m hanging up.”

“You wouldn’t!” Kuroo said, faking his astonishment. He heard a click a second later. A lot of their phone calls ended this way, but Kuroo knew that deep, _deep_ down, Kenma was fond of him.

After the phone call, Kuroo prepared to make his way into the shower. Before he could, the door to his room clicked open and in walked Oikawa. He was holding two coffees, and the smell immediately occupied his senses.

“I have never been so happy to see you in my whole life,” Kuroo said, walking up to Oikawa and grabbing one of the coffees.

“Long night Tetsu-chan? You missed me?” Oikawa winked at Kuroo and went to sit at his desk with his own cup of coffee.

“You wish. I only like you for your ability to bring me coffee when I’m hungover.” Kuroo took a sip and savored the warmth, hoping that his hangover would soon be alleviated.

“You’re almost as mean to me as Iwa-chan! Maybe even meaner!” Oikawa teased.

“Oh, please. Compared to Iwaizumi, I treat you like a saint.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or if I should make fun of you for being so full of yourself.” Kuroo laughed at that and went back to sipping his coffee.

Oikawa was a good roommate. He was dramatic and cocky, but also one of the biggest nerds that Kuroo had ever met, so they got along with ease. It was also nice that Oikawa spent half of his time at the frat house Iwaizumi lived in, so Kuroo could have the room to himself when he needed to study or if he wanted to have friends (or hookups) over.

Not that he really _had_ many hookups to bring over. Especially as of late; since his heart and mind were constantly flooded with thoughts of Bokuto.

Kuroo finished his coffee all too quickly, and just before he was ready to finally head into the shower, he got a text.

 

**_Brokuto, 1:34 PM:_ **

R we still on to study later!? ㄟ(^◎◊◎^)ㄏ

 

Kuroo smiled, relieved that Bokuto still wanted to see him. Yet he was also incredibly anxious over how awkward it may have been to see Bokuto again after their kiss.

 

**_Kuroo, 1:36 PM:_ **

You know it (=^-ω-^=)

 

Kuroo threw his phone back onto the bed and finally headed to the shower. He knew his mind would continue to remain restless until finally seeing Bokuto again.

 

 

◊♦◊

 

 

“Man, I don’t get this at all,” Bokuto frowned and slumped back into the wooden library chair.

“Dude I can’t let you take anymore breaks, we have a test to study for.” Bokuto didn’t budge. His frown just became wider as he slowly sank further and further down into his seat.

Bokuto had to take a science class as a general requirement, so Kuroo convinced him to take the lower level astronomy class that he and Oikawa registered for.

“It’s pointless! I’m going to fail, why should I even bother studying?”

Seeing Bokuto so down on himself always felt like a kick to the gut. Sure, sometimes he’d tease Bokuto for his ever-fluctuating moods, but sometimes it also hurt to see one of the brightest people he knew be so hard on himself.

“Let’s move on to another one.” Kuroo looked down at the study guide list for another question. “Here, I know that you know this one. What is the only element in the universe that cannot exist in solid form?”

“H-H... huuuuugh I don’t know!” Kuroo shook his head, realizing that Bokuto was far too distraught to continue on.

Kuroo closed his notes and checked the time on his phone. It was still early, and the two had a lot of studying to do. Kuroo would have felt bad leaving Bokuto in his current state, so he gestured at him to get up.

“Let’s go do something else then,” Kuroo said. Bokuto perked up a bit and his expression softened.

“Like what?” Bokuto asked while reaching for his backpack and shoving his notes inside.

“Follow me.” Bokuto wordlessly complied.

Now that the two weren’t studying, Kuroo questioned if he should bring up their kiss. Bokuto had been acting normal during their brief study session, but his early dejection could have meant that there was too much on his mind to focus more on studying.

Kuroo was able to play it cool before, but he was now hyperaware of Bokuto walking next to him as they headed out of the library.

When Bokuto was upset, he’d drag his feet and stare at the ground as he walked. When he was happy or content, there’d be a lot more energy in each step, and one of his famous smiles would be spread across his face.

Now, Bokuto’s feet did not drag or skip and there were no sounds or smiles, just Bokuto walking calmly and quietly next to him. This Bokuto was one he had a hard time reading, this Bokuto made Kuroo nervous.

Maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe he was analyzing Bokuto’s behaviors and movements a little too closely, more so than he would on any given day.

After what felt like an hour (but was actually just five minutes, Kuroo _knew_ he was being dramatic) the two arrived at the front of the science building on campus.

“What are we doing here?” Bokuto asked.

“You’ll see, it’s a surprise.” To Kuroo’s own surprise, Bokuto did not protest. Kuroo led him to the front door and swiped his card, getting them both into the building.

“Hey, how come you can swipe in here after hours?” Bokuto asked, looking between Kuroo and the door, genuinely confused.

Kuroo smiled. “Biochem labs usually run late. All the biochem majors have 24/7 access to the science labs.”

“What? That’s so cool!” Bokuto finally smiled, and Kuroo felt relieved. “Hey, we’re not making stink bombs again, right? I remember when you took some stuff from your lab in high school and brought it over after school. My house stunk for a month, man!”

“No way, I won’t subject either of us to that kind of torture ever again.” Kuroo laughed and led Bokuto to a door down the hall.

The door led to one of the main labs, one that Kuroo spent entirely way too much time in. This was probably the first time that Kuroo actually entered the lab through his own volition.

Kuroo only turned a low light on when they entered, as he knew that they could definitely get in trouble for being caught in the lab so late on a Sunday night.

“Sit here,” Kuroo said, pointing to one of the lab tables. “I have to go grab a few things.”

Kuroo rummaged around the room and grabbed a large bowl of hot water, a syringe, and a test tube of what was probably one of his favorite chemical elements. Bokuto watched Kuroo as he brought all of the supplies to the lab table, and Kuroo grinned as he held his hand out to show Bokuto the test tube.

“What is it?” Bokuto asked as he leaned closer to inspect the tube.

“It’s called Gallium, the 31st element on the periodic table. It’s usually used as a silicon substitute for electronics and acts as an important component of many semiconductors–”

“Tetsu, you know you sound really cute when you talk about science, but can you use human words?”

“Ah,” Kuroo blushed, “it’s basically just liquid metal when at the right temperature.”

“That’s awesome! Can we play with it?” Bokuto asked.

“Hell yeah we can. I just need to let it sit in the warm water for a few minutes so it can melt.” Kuroo dropped the test tube into the water, and Bokuto looked on attentively, waiting for the metal to fully melt as if it were the most amusing thing in the world. Kuroo stood just behind Bokuto, spending the passing minutes by studying the details of Bokuto’s face instead of watching the solid turn liquid.

After a few minutes, Kuroo reached over and took the test tube out of the water.

“Hold out your hand,” Kuroo said, and Bokuto outstretched his hand almost too eagerly.

Kuroo popped the cap off of the tube and poured the contents into Bokuto’s hand. Bokuto’s eyes widened as he moved his hand, causing the substance to spread back and forth. Bokuto then poured the liquid into his other hand and continued to move the metal between his hands.

“Dude, this is so cool! I’ve never seen anything like this,” Bokuto exclaimed. He looked like he was having entirely way too much fun with the metal.

“Nah, it’s nothing, you could totally just buy this stuff on amazon or something.”

“Stop being so modest, we all know your mop of hair is full of science facts and secrets.”

Kuroo shrugged, but also beamed with a confident smile. “Here, pour it on the table, let me show you something.”

Bokuto complied, pouring the liquid onto the table and scraping off the little bits that was stuck to his hand. Kuroo grabbed the syringe and used it to suck the gallium into the tube, and then squeezed it back out onto the table.

“That looks _so_ satisfying.” Bokuto watched as Kuroo played around with the metal and spread it messily across the table. “Let me suck it back up!”

Kuroo handed Bokuto the syringe and watched as he got all the liquid back into the tube. Kuroo expected Bokuto to squeeze the metal back out onto the table again, but he instead turned and pushed the metal out into Kuroo’s direction.

“Hey! Bo, what the hell?” Kuroo exclaimed, but he was giggling as he tried to dodge the shots that Bokuto fired.

“Look Kuroo, I squirted!” Bokuto said, and then exploded into a fit of laughter, and Kuroo couldn’t help but join in.

“Bokuto, you’re so nasty. I can’t take you anywhere!” Kuroo said between giggles. It took another moment for the two to compose themselves.

“Aw c’mon, you love it,” Bokuto teased.

“Yeah,” Kuroo replied a little too seriously without even thinking. Both let up on their laughter, and were very blatantly staring at each other, all while standing just a little bit too close for comfort.

“Hey, thanks for showing me this cool science stuff. You always know what to do to make me feel good, Tetsu.” Bokuto took a step closer, and Kuroo could feel deep scarlet spread across his face. Bokuto’s own expression was unreadable, and Kuroo was unable to pull his eyes away from Bokuto’s intense stare. 

“It’s nothing,” Kuroo tried to say loud and confident, but it came out more like a hushed secret.

Bokuto shuffled closer again, close enough for their bodies to touch.

It was a blur for Kuroo after that. He didn’t know if Bokuto snaked an arm around Kuroo’s waist first or if he reached a hand to Bokuto’s cheek first. Regardless, warm lips found their way to Kuroo’s own and they melted together instantly.

Bokuto didn’t taste like fireball this time. Kuroo didn’t think Bokuto actually tasted like _anything_ , but his lips were soft and slick and Kuroo found himself hungry for Bokuto’s taste and touch.

The arms around Kuroo’s waist were strong and grounding, and there was no way Kuroo could find the will to pull away.

It was inevitable, though. Bokuto pulled back first after a few minutes of trading kisses, but he lingered close to Kuroo and pressed his forehead against to other’s. It was silent as the two stood with there with pressed foreheads, trying to catch their breaths. Surprisingly, it wasn’t awkward. Kuroo had felt more at ease with Bokuto than he had ever before.

“I like you, Tetsu,” Bokuto said, breaking the silence. Kuroo’s heart fluttered, and he greatly appreciated Bokuto’s sincerity. “You’re one of my best friends, but…”

Bokuto trailed off, and Kuroo decided to finish Bokuto’s sentence on his own. “I want more.”

“Yeah,” Bokuto agreed. He took a step back, but then interlaced his fingers with Kuroo’s so that they could stay tangled up in each other.

“Me too,” Kuroo smiled, and Bokuto’s eyes were shining up at him. Their hands remained clasped as Kuroo took a small step to the side and looked down, watching as the metallic liquid gleamed on the linoleum lab floor.

“Hey, can we keep this metal stuff?” Bokuto asked with a hopeful smile.

“Sure, as long as you’re able to suck it all back up into the tube,” Kuroo replied with a shrug.

“I got this! I’m great at sucking,” Bokuto replied, wiggling his eyebrows at Kuroo.

Kuroo shook his head and removed his hands from Bokuto’s, all while trying to hide the blush on his face.

“I really hate you right now,” Kuroo said, hiding his face in his hands. Bokuto let out a laugh and reached for Kuroo, wrapping one arm around his waist again.

Kuroo was surprised that the two fell into this newly found affection with ease.

He knew then that his relationship with Bokuto was more naturally occurring than any other element found on the periodic table.

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on [tumblr](http://emotabek.tumblr.com) :)


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